1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for improving a citrus flavored ready-to-drink beverage contained in a polyethylene container by adding specific clouding agents whereby over a period of time there is a reduction of flavor loss, minimization of off-flavor development and extension of shelf life. The clouding agents used are coconut oil and dearomatized cocoa butter, generally in the form of emulsions.
2. Description of The Prior Art
An increase in popularity has been observed for ready-to-drink beverages because of their sale in convenience aseptic packaging known as Tetra Pak.RTM., Tetra Briks.RTM., Combi Bloc.RTM., International Paper (IP) containers and the like. These packages generally include an outer cover of cardboard, hard paper, hard plastic and the like. Inside these packages is an inner liner of a flexible material in which the beverage is sealed. The preferred liner for these packages are polyethylene especially low density polyethylene, because of its low cost, availability, convenience of packaging the beverage and its durability. As outstanding as polyethylene is as a packaging container for beverages, a difficulty arises in that the polyethylene readily absorbs d-limonene, the main constituent of citrus flavor oils. The loss of d-limonene detrimentally affects the sensory quality of ready-to-drink citrus beverages immediately on filling and subsequently on standing. The significant loss of d-limonene reduces the highly desired citrus flavors of the drink. Polyethylene is also known to absorb other highly desirable terpenes and sesquiterpenes which are flavor volatiles as well as some key aldehyde constituents. The reduction of these components and others can reduce the desired organoleptic quality of the beverage. As convenient as polyethylene is as a container for citrus flavored ready-to-drink beverages, it is imperative that the absorption of flavor and aroma constituents in the polyethylene be significantly reduced in order to reduce flavor loss, minimize off-flavor development and extend the shelf life of the beverage.
In the art of clouding fluids, especially in an attempt to achieve the desired opacity cloud inherent in natural juices, it is known and standard practice to form oil-in-water or fat-in-water emulsions using edible oils or fats in the beverages. These emulsions contain various oils, all of which contribute to the cloud as well as emulsion stabilization agents. Emulsified coconut oil and dearomatized cocoa butter are known to be used as acceptable clouding agents for citrus drinks. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,750 to Babayon; 4,349,577 to Tessler; and 4,279,940 to Wurzberg et al. among others, describe the use of emulsified coconut oil as a desirable clouding agent. Emulsified dearomized cocoa butter used as a clouding agent in beverages has been described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 439,006, filed Nov. 4, 1982 by Eng et al., commonly assigned as the present application to General Foods Inc., Canada.
Significant improvements are achieved by the use of coconut oil and dearomatized cocoa butter as the clouding agents in citrus flavored ready-to-drink beverages contained in an aseptic flexible polyethylene container, especially a low density polyethylene container.